In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Sock it to me
Floatin' down the river with a saturated liver
And I wish I could forgive her, but I do believe she meant it
When she told me to forget it, and I bet she will regret it
When they find me in the morning wet and drowned
And the word gets 'round
I'm goin' down
I'm goin' down
Comin' up for air, it's pretty stuffy under there
I'd like to say I didn't care, but I forgot to leave a note
And it's so hard to stay afloat, I'm soakin' wet without a boat
And I knew I should've taken off my shoes
It's front page news
Goin' down
Goin' down
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey
I wish I had another drink, it wouldn't be so hard to sink
I should've taken time to think, besides I got the picture straight
She must have had another date, I didn't need this extra weight
I wish that I could see the way to shore
I don't want no more
Goin' down
I'm goin' down
And now I see the life I led, I slept it all away in bed
I should've learned how to swim instead, and now it's really got me stumped
I can't believe why I jumped, I'd like to get my tummy pumped
I can't believe they drink this stuff in town
This dirty brown
Goin' down
Goin' down
I'm goin' down
Goin' down, hey, hey
Goin' down
Goin' down
Goin' down
Goin' down
Goin' down
Goin' down
I wished I'd looked before I leaped
I didn't know it was so deep
Been down so far I don't get wet
I haven't touched the bottom yet
This river scene is gettin' old
I'm hungry, sleepy, wet and cold
She told me to forget it nice
I should have taken her advice
I only wanna go on home
I'd gladly leave that girl alone
What a way to spend the night
If I don't drown, I'll die of fright
My pappy taught me how to float
But I can't swim a single note
He threw me in to teach me how
I stayed there floatin' like a mama cow
And now I've floated way downstream
Know this has to be a dream
If I could find my way to shore
I'd never, never do this anymore
They give you three, I've been down nine
I'm goin' down just one more time
Goin' down
Goin' down, back
Goin' down
Goin' down
I'm goin' down, back, back, back
Goin' down, back, back, back, back, huh
Back, back, back, huh, back
Back, back, back, huh
Goin' down
Goin' down
I'm goin' down home
I'm goin' back home
Back to my friends
Back under the warm
And I can do with it, too
I'm goin' home, ah
Now the sky is gettin' light
And everything will be alright
Think I finally got the knack
Just floatin' and lazin' on my back
I never really liked that town
I think I'll ride the river down
Just movin' slow and floatin' free
There's a river swinging under me
Waving back to the folks on shore
I should've thought of this before
I'm floatin' on down to New Orleans
And pick up on some swingin' scenes
I'm gonna know a better day
I'm goin' down groovin' all the way
Goin' down
Go-go-go down
I'm goin' down, back, back, back
Down in New Orleans, back, back, back, back home
I'm go-goin' down, hey, hey, hey, hey
Goin' on down, hey, hey, hey, hey
I'm go, go, go, goin' down
I'm goin' down
Goin' down, go, go
Oh, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Got to, got to, got to, got to, got to, got to
Got to, got to, got to, got to, got to, got to go
Got to go, got to go back home, I'm goin' down
Down, down, down, down, down, down, down the river now
I gotta go, gotta go, gotta go, gotta go, gotta go
Floatin' down the river with a saturated liver
And I wish I could forgive her, but I do believe she meant it
When she told me to forget it, and I bet she will regret it
When they find me in the morning wet and drowned
And the word gets 'round
I'm goin' down
I'm goin' down
Comin' up for air, it's pretty stuffy under there
I'd like to say I didn't care, but I forgot to leave a note
And it's so hard to stay afloat, I'm soakin' wet without a boat
And I knew I should've taken off my shoes
It's front page news
Goin' down
Goin' down
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey
I wish I had another drink, it wouldn't be so hard to sink
I should've taken time to think, besides I got the picture straight
She must have had another date, I didn't need this extra weight
I wish that I could see the way to shore
I don't want no more
Goin' down
I'm goin' down
And now I see the life I led, I slept it all away in bed
I should've learned how to swim instead, and now it's really got me stumped
I can't believe why I jumped, I'd like to get my tummy pumped
I can't believe they drink this stuff in town
This dirty brown
Goin' down
Goin' down
I'm goin' down
Goin' down, hey, hey
Goin' down
Goin' down
Goin' down
Goin' down
Goin' down
Goin' down
I wished I'd looked before I leaped
I didn't know it was so deep
Been down so far I don't get wet
I haven't touched the bottom yet
This river scene is gettin' old
I'm hungry, sleepy, wet and cold
She told me to forget it nice
I should have taken her advice
I only wanna go on home
I'd gladly leave that girl alone
What a way to spend the night
If I don't drown, I'll die of fright
My pappy taught me how to float
But I can't swim a single note
He threw me in to teach me how
I stayed there floatin' like a mama cow
And now I've floated way downstream
Know this has to be a dream
If I could find my way to shore
I'd never, never do this anymore
They give you three, I've been down nine
I'm goin' down just one more time
Goin' down
Goin' down, back
Goin' down
Goin' down
I'm goin' down, back, back, back
Goin' down, back, back, back, back, huh
Back, back, back, huh, back
Back, back, back, huh
Goin' down
Goin' down
I'm goin' down home
I'm goin' back home
Back to my friends
Back under the warm
And I can do with it, too
I'm goin' home, ah
Now the sky is gettin' light
And everything will be alright
Think I finally got the knack
Just floatin' and lazin' on my back
I never really liked that town
I think I'll ride the river down
Just movin' slow and floatin' free
There's a river swinging under me
Waving back to the folks on shore
I should've thought of this before
I'm floatin' on down to New Orleans
And pick up on some swingin' scenes
I'm gonna know a better day
I'm goin' down groovin' all the way
Goin' down
Go-go-go down
I'm goin' down, back, back, back
Down in New Orleans, back, back, back, back home
I'm go-goin' down, hey, hey, hey, hey
Goin' on down, hey, hey, hey, hey
I'm go, go, go, goin' down
I'm goin' down
Goin' down, go, go
Oh, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Got to, got to, got to, got to, got to, got to
Got to, got to, got to, got to, got to, got to go
Got to go, got to go back home, I'm goin' down
Down, down, down, down, down, down, down the river now
I gotta go, gotta go, gotta go, gotta go, gotta go
Lyrics submitted by Madcappunk
Goin' Down Lyrics as written by Michael Nesmith Micky Dolenz
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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No love for Goin' Down?!
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